Follow the yellow brick road ...

Seventy-five years ago,  August 16, 1939, The Wizard of Oz premiered at Grauman’s Chinese Theater.  It appears to have been a major film event.  I was not around for that event.

In 1955 the movie was again released to the theaters.   This time I was around to enjoy it.  My grandmother took me to see the movie.  We walked to a bus stop near her home and got on a bus to go to the theater.  I was about seven.  I had never been on a bus.  I had never been to a movie theater.  We had a small TV so I knew about movies.  But everything on television was only in black and white and the screen was about the size of a dinner plate.  I can remember sitting in the theater waiting for the movie to begin.  The room was dimly lit and there were a lot of people.  There was nothing on the stage and the curtain was closed.  Yes, theaters used to have a stage and curtains.  After a while, the lights were turned down and the curtain opened and the movie began.  I don’t remember if there was anything shown before the movie started.  I do remember when it did start it was a huge picture and it was in black and white like television.  I didn’t really know what a tornado was so that was a little frightening.  Then … when Dorothy opened the front door of her house and the world of Oz was in bright, vivid, bigger than life color, I was amazed.  It really was the wonderful world of Oz.

The next year my aunt gave me the Illustrated Junior Library edition of The Wizard of Oz.  I probably read it a hundred times.

I own the VHS tape 50^th Anniversary version, 2 DVD’s (same DVD I think, but one came with a special Deluxe Edition that included a reproduction of the Original Theatrical Script) and The Official 75^th Anniversary Companion (a really nice book.)

I also have a pattern book to crochet 12 characters from the Land of Oz. It also comes with a couple bits of yarn and a new crochet hook. But, like Leonard’s Spock action figure with transporter, the box has not yet been opened.   (sigh)

I didn’t learn about the series of Oz books written by L. Frank Baum until I was an adult.  I have not read the other books.  I have seen a couple of the newer film versions but I love the original movie and I love my copy of The Wizard of Oz.  

For me …

…Judy Garland will always be Dorothy Gale,

… … Frank Morgan = Professor Marvel and the Wizard

… … …Billie Burke = Glinda

… … … …Ray Bolger = the Scarecrow, 
                     Jack Haley = the Tin Man,
                         Bert Lahr = the Cowardly Lion

                              And ……..

… … … … ….Margaret Hamilton will always be 
                             the wonderful Wicked Witch of the West.

(oh, and I still think the Flying Monkeys are scary)